Rooney was pictured standing outside a lift with a woman at 5:30am after a team night out, but has denied that anything happened between them, other than that she was just asking for his autograph.

The 33-year-old also claimed that he had been followed by a freelance photographer without his knowledge or permission.

In a statement on Twitter, Rooney said: “The Sun this week ran a front page story making it look like I took a girl back to my team hotel.

“They know that it’s not true and that I did not. They are using mine and my family’s name to sell papers.

“Nothing happened between me and any girl on that night in Vancouver. I did not enter the lift alone with the girl pictured in the hotel foyer.

“The girl pictured in the club was simply one of many who innocently asked for autographs and pictures.”

Rooney argued that the photos were edited to create a sensational story that is ‘completely untrue’.

The statement ended with the former England captain saying: “The whole story was a smear against me. It is damaging to my family and not something I am prepared to put up with.”

The story claimed that Rooney and his team-mates visited two nightclubs in the Canadian city after their 1-0 loss to Vancouver earlier this month, before spending time in a jacuzzi at a friend’s house and then heading back to his room at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

The former Manchester United forward moved to MLS side DC United from Everton last summer, and will join Championship club Derby in a player-coach role in January.